Author's Note: OMG, it's been so long since I've last updated, hasn't it? So sorry about that! I am still alive! I just had a lot of stuff going on.

Chapter Thirty-Six

The new term started the next morning with a pleasant surprise for most of the sixth years: a large sign had been pinned to the common room notice boards overnight.

APPARITION LESSONS

If you are seventeen years of age, or will turn seventeen on

Or before the 31st August next, you are eligible for a

Twelve-week course of Apparition Lessons from a Ministry

Of Magic Apparition instructor. Please sign below if you

Would like to participate. Cost: 12 Galleons.

Ed only took the time to read the sign and then left afterwards to go to the Great Hall, Al and Winry hurrying after him. Ed also wanted to avoid 'the freak' so he wouldn't have to deal with him. Harry and Ron looked after the trio that had left in a hurry.

"What's wrong with them?" Ron asked.

Harry shrugged.

"What's wrong with whom?" Selim asked, popping out of nowhere.

Harry and Ron jumped and looked around at Selim.

"Don't you know any manners?" Ron asked.

"Sorry, Mr. Red Wizard," Selim said, causing people to snicker around them as Ron's ears turned red, "but I didn't mean to startle you. I just want to know who you were talking about."

"About Ed," Ron replied stiffly. "He and Al and Winry left a moment ago."

"Oh, where did they go?" Selim asked.

"To the Great Hall," Ron answered. "Now, go away."

"Okay, Mr. Red Wizard," Selim chimed.

Selim sent a glare at Harry and Harry glared back. Then Selim grinned and left to catch up to Ed, Al, and Winry.

"What was that about?" Ron asked, noticing the look on Harry's face.

"Nothing," Harry muttered.

Ron shrugged. In Charms, Harry barely paid attention to Ron's conversation with Dean, Seamus, and Neville as he thought about Christmas holiday. And to his surprise, when Harry looked at a shadow, he saw a purple eye. He blinked and then it was gone.

"Harry?" Ron asked. "Something wrong?"

Harry looked around at Ron.

"No, nothing's wrong," Harry lied.

Ron shrugged and went back to talking with Dean, Seamus, and Neville. Harry looked over at Ed and Al to see that they had matching frowns. This had bothered Harry all day. When going to Dumbledore's office, he was so absorbed in his thoughts that he almost went past the stone gargoyle that was guarding the passage way up to the office. Harry said the password and went up the revolving stone steps up to Dumbledore's office and knocked on the door.

"Enter," came Dumbledore's voice.

Harry opened the door and went into the office, shutting the door behind him. The lamps in Dumbledore's office were lit, the portraits of previous headmasters were snoring gently in their frames, and the Pensieve was ready upon the desk once more. Dumbledore's hands lay on either side of it, the right one as blackened and burnt-looking as ever. It did not seem to have healed at all and Harry wondered, for perhaps the hundredth time, what had caused such a distinctive injury but did not ask since Dumbledore had promised to tell him about it.

"I hear that you and Edward had met the Minister of Magic over Christmas?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes," Harry replied. "He's not very happy with us."

"No, he's not very happy with me either," Dumbledore admitted. "Nor is he happy with Fuhrer Bradley. We must try not to sink beneath our anguish, Harry, but battle on."

Harry would have grinned, but he didn't since Pride's childish face flashed in his mind's eye.

"What is occupying your mind, Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

"Nothing," Harry lied.

"You should not let Selim Bradley scare you, Harry," Dumbledore assured. "He will do you no harm nor to any of your classmates. Have you talked this through with Edward?"

This suggestion had triggered a memory.

"Professor, Mr. Weasley and Professor Lupin had told me that Ed is a big part of the Order of the Phoenix and that you tell him a lot of important information," Harry remembered.

"Have you talked with Edward?" Dumbledore repeated.

"I tried, but he's not telling me anything," Harry replied. "He keeps a lot of secrets."

Dumbledore chuckled. At this point, Harry had figured that Dumbledore was not going to give him any clear answers and decided to just drop the subject. Meanwhile, in the Gryffindor common room, Ed, Al, and Winry were sitting with Hermione and Ginny while working on their homework.

"I'm surprised, Edward," Hermione said.

Ed looked at Hermione.

"What are you surprised about, Hermione?" Ed asked.

"You're usually already done with your homework," Hermione replied.

"I just decided to take my time on it, that's all," Ed said.

"Where's Selim?" Hermione asked.

"He's a big boy, he can take care of himself," Ed remarked.

"The alchemist is right," said a voice.

They all jumped and turned to the source of the voice. It was Ling sitting on a chair by Winry.

"Ling!" Ed exclaimed, and then he turned suspicious. "Or is it Greed?"

"Nope, it's me, Ling," Ling replied. "I was able to have Greed let me have control for a while and boy, was I hungry! I got food from the kitchens. Those creatures sure are kind!"

"But how are you able to get past all of the protective spells?" Hermione protested in a whisper.

"Well, I guess it's because it's due to me being a homunculus now," Ling supposed, shrugging his shoulders. "I don't really know. You would have to ask Van Hohenheim or – ow!"

Ed had kicked Ling in the shin before he could say anything else.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked.

Noticing the look on Ed and Al's faces, Ling grinned and then replied, "Nothing's wrong, just stubbed my foot. I'm surprised no one's come over here to tell me to go away!"

"Well, you better watch what you say, or someone WILL come over here to make you leave!" Hermione threatened.

Ling shrugged again and looked at Ed and Al.

"Did you read it?" Ling asked, suddenly serious.

"Yeah, thanks, Ling," Ed replied. "But I don't know how much use it'll be."

He put his hands behind his head and sighed.

"It will give you your time to get ready," Ling insisted. "We all need to be prepared."

"Be prepared for what?" Ginny asked.

"We can't talk about it here," Al replied.

"Why can't we talk about it here?" Ginny asked.

Just then, Selim Bradley came to their table. Ling suddenly frowned as Selim looked at him and smirked.

"I didn't know there was going to be a new student," Selim commented. "Especially someone who comes from Xing."

Without a warning, Ling put a hand over his face. His face started to change. His boyishly angular chin turned into a sharp angular chin and his normally closed black eyes opened and turned into a shade of magenta.

"Later, Alchemist," Greed bade.

Then a moment later, Greed-Ling was gone.

"What are you doing, Mister Ed?" Selim asked Ed as if nothing had happened.

Ed blinked and then frowned.

"Homework," Ed answered stiffly.

"Why are you doing your homework?" Selim asked.

"So I won't fail, you moron!" Ed snapped.

Selim laughed.

"I just thought that you would have gotten it done earlier!" Selim said.

"He's got a good point," Hermione agreed. "You usually finish your homework in your free periods."

Ed's face turned red and Winry bent over her homework, having her hair cover her red face as she wrote.

"As I said before, I just wanted to take my time!" Ed snapped.

"But you're always impatient," Ginny remarked.

Ed frowned and then stood. He gathered his work and quill and ink and left the table. Winry looked up, blush gone, and watched as Ed left the common room out the portrait hole.

"Mr. Ed is in a bad mood, isn't he?" Selim asked.

No one answered him. After a few minutes, Al stood from the table and went to find Ed. Al had an idea of where Ed was and went to check. Sure enough, Ed was in the library working on his homework. Al sat across from Ed at the table.

"Brother?" Al asked.

"What?" Ed asked.

"Why are you so irritated for?" Al asked.

"You should know, Al," Ed grumbled.

"I don't like not doing anything either, Brother," Al said. "I want to go to Central and beat the hell out of Father too, but we can't!"

He pounded the table with his fists. Ed looked up at his younger brother.

"It irritates me!" Al griped. "I just want to be able to do something instead of just sitting around!"

"I know, Al," Ed replied.

"It's like with Nina," Al whispered. "We couldn't help her and now we -"

"Al, I know how you feel," Ed interrupted. "Don't you think I'm sick and tired of having to stay put like some misbehaved kid? But we have no other choice…"

"I'm not coming back next year," Al vowed.

"Are you sure, Al?" Ed asked.

"You are not coming next year, are you?" Al asked.

Ed sighed. Al's eyes widened in understanding.

"Winry," Al said. "She's still being used against you, isn't she?"

Ed frowned.

"Yeah," Ed muttered.

Ed's eyes suddenly darted to a bookcase that was behind Al. Al turned as well. Al got up from his seat and went to the bookcase and found someone lurking there. Ed got up as well and went to where Al was to see that Al had cornered a young girl that looked to be in her fourth year. The girl had black hair that was in pigtails and also had black eyes. She was wearing the Hogwarts robes and had a very small 'cat' on her shoulder.

"Why were you listening in on our conversation?" Al demanded.

"I'm so sorry, Sir Alphonse!" the girl apologized. "I didn't mean any harm to you!"

The girl bowed in respect. Al blinked his eyes in confusion and looked back at Ed who had shrugged his shoulders. Al looked back at the girl.

"Who are you, and why haven't I seen you here before?" Al asked.

"Mei Chan, Sir Alphonse, you haven't seen me before because I just came this term because Professor Dumbledore told me that I could be protected here," the girl, Mei Chan, answered. "I've heard so much about you, so I immediately said that I would come once he said that you and Edward were here!"

She took a step toward him, causing Al to take a step back. Ed had to keep his face straight as he held back laughter.

"But w-what have you heard about me?" Al asked, blushing slightly.

"I've heard a lot of things!" Mei gushed. "I've heard that you are very great alchemist who had worn full body armor and then stopped wearing it after you were through with your training! I also heard that you helped your country before coming to Hogwarts!"

"Al?" Ed asked, suddenly serious.

Al flinched.

"Yes, Brother?" Al asked.

"Why didn't you tell me any of this in your letters?" Ed asked.

"Because-I-was-asked-by-the-military-to-help-them-with-things-after-I was-strong-enough-and-I-couldn't-just-refuse-because-Teacher-ordered-me-to-accept-because-she-said-it-would-be-good-to-practice-alchemy-again-and-you-know-how-scary-she-is!" Al stated in one breath.

"You still should have told me!" Ed yelled.

Al, who was now facing Ed, shrunk back.

"I was told not to, Brother!" Al defended.

Ed scowled.

"Fine," Ed muttered.

Al breathed a sigh of relief. He looked back at Mei.

"Are you here for any other reason?" Al asked.

"I'm looking for the Philosopher's Stone, Alphonse," Mei replied. "I am sure that Ling Yao of the Yao clan has already told you about our plight. I want it because—."

"Mei Chan, the Philosopher's Stone will only bring trouble," Al interrupted. "Now, tell me which House you are in so I can walk you back."

Mei sighed.

"I'm in Ravenclaw," Mei answered.

"I'll meet you in the common room, Brother," Al told Ed.

Then Al and Mei left the library to go to Ravenclaw tower. Their walk was silent until…

"Why do you call me Sir Alphonse?" Al asked. "You could just call me Al."

"It's more respectful," Mei replied. "Do you not like me calling you Sir Alphonse?"

"I-it's okay," Al stuttered, blushing. "So are-are you a fourth year?"

"Yes, Alphonse-sama, I am," Mei replied. "I turn 15 in a few months."

"That's nice," Al said.

'What are these feelings?!' Al thought to himself. 'I like Katie! I think I do anyway…NO, I do like Katie! I'll just have to stay away from Mei after I walk her to her common room, that's all.'

"That's an interesting cat you got there," Al commented.

'WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!' Al scolded himself.

"Oh, it's not a cat, it's a miniature panda that I've brought with me all the way from Xing," Mei answered. "Xiao Mei has been with me ever since I was a child."

"She's cute," Al complimented.

Mei blushed. Pretty soon, they were at the west tower where the Ravenclaw students claimed as Ravenclaw tower.

"Sir Alphonse," Mei started, "will you come up with me?"

"I'm sorry, Mei, but I have to go back to my own tower," Al politely declined.

"All right, Sir Alphonse," Mei conceded.

"Just call me 'Al', Mei," Al insisted.

"No, I will still call you 'Sir Alphonse'," Mei retorted. "And thank you."

She kissed Al on the cheek, making him blush, and then started climbing the tight, winding staircase. Just then, Peeves cackled from above. Al looked up in shock at Peeves.

"Chan loves Alphonse!" Peeves cackled. "Alphonse lurves Chan!"

"That's not true!" Al protested, blushing more.

Peeves didn't listen as he flew away. Al sighed and turned. He started walking toward the Gryffindor tower. Before he knew it, Al was in front of the Fat Lady.

"Alphonse dear," the Fat Lady said. "Is something on your mind?"

Al blinked and looked at the Fat Lady.

"No," Al lied. "Nothing is on my mind."

"I need the password for you to enter," the Fat Lady instructed, smiling.

"Oh, sorry," Al apologized. "Abstinence."

The Fat Lady swung forward and let Al into the portrait hole to go into the common room.